Russell Hammond: Billy Crudup
Penny Lane: Kate Hudson
William Miller: Patrick Fugit
my rating: A-
Since the onset of summer, a majority of the movies that have come out have been lousy. Some may consider me a harsh judge but I am very demanding when it comes to movies I like. Almost Famous, I am glad to say, was one of those movies that I enjoyed thoroughly. Almost Famous had an extremely original plot that not only interested me, but captivated me. I have to say that this is one of the best movies that I have had the privilege of watching and can safely say that no money was wasted on this choice.
The story is of a young teenage boy named William Miller, a child prodigy, who aspires to be a journalist for a music magazine, a goal that was cultivated by his sister who left the family early in life. She left behind a collection of rock albums for her brother in hopes that they could inspire him, and it is through them that he discovers his purpose, to write stories about the people behind the music. He gets his first chance when he encounters another prominent writer for a magazine called Creme. After doing a piece for Creme on Stillwater, a rising band, Rolling Stone got a hold of his article and asked him to follow the band on their tour. As the tour progresses, William Miller becomes more deeply connected with the band, but at the same time, is also distanced by them as he watches how the band members abuse their fans and friends. In particular, a girl named Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) who he wishes to win the love of, but cannot do so since she is whole-heartedly devoted to the one band member who treats her the worst.
If I were to describe the movie in a word it'd be "wow." Coming from someone who is a self-proclaimed stoic, I was moved. The actors gave a one of a kind performance that I have rarely seen rivaled. Hollywood oftentimes uses the "big-name" actors in their movies, which makes them all the more unoriginal and uninteresting. It just goes to show that new faces are refreshing and add to the effect that the audience has on the movie.
The movie was down-to-earth, believable, and insightful, rare characteristics that you usually do not see in movies like Art of War, The Watcher, etc. By far Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) gave the best performance as the mentor to William Miller. Although his lines were few and brief, they were very powerful and well written. As the main character's anchor to reality, he made the movie all the more dynamic and vibrant.
All in all one should not pass up the opportunity to see this movie. For those of you who enjoy a movie whose script is strong till the finish, this is definitely for you. Not since Gladiator have I seen another movie that has had the best of all fields, acting, script, theme, development, and action. Since it was so good I will stop here so that I don't give anymore away. Go see it!
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